White Christmas carols in the Grove

OCEAN Grove Carols in the Park attendees enjoyed snow during the Christmas frivolities which attracted more than 1500 people.

Organisers took the gamble rain would hold off for the gathering at the Grove Pavilion on Sunday night and were rewarded with dry skies for a majority of the evening before making the call to wrap a little earlier than expected as the weather started to turn.

“It shows the families and communities of Ocean Grove wanted to celebrate Christmas,” artistic director Jon Mamonski said of the thousands who attended despite the forecast.

“And it snowed! We brought in snow machines,” he said.

Mr Mamonski, who was awarded an OAM in this year’s Queen’s honours for community service, has produced the past 20 years of the event and said he and fellow organisers were determined the show must go on after the last two years were cancelled due to COVID.

“Weather permitting, we go through!” he said.

Attendees including students and parents from Our Lady Star of the Sea, Surfside Primary and Ocean Grove Primary, were treated to a brief visit from Santa, but Mr Mamonski said he “couldn’t stay long as he had a lot of presents to wrap and the weather was slowing him up a bit”.

“We also had the Sweethearts who belted out a brilliant performance… they’ve been going for about 20 years and are basically comprised of the best girl musicians from schools around Geelong, and play overseas.

“They’re one of the great soul sisters bands, we’re very lucky to have them here.”

“They did Higher and Higher, I Wish (Stevie Wonder) and White Christmas, the crowd reacted brilliantly, they loved it.”The Sweethearts performing at Carols in the Park.